How To Restart Your iPhone: Fix Your Frozen Or Unresponsive iPhone
One reliable piece of wisdom for fixing technical difficulties with computers, smartphones and most other devices is to turn it off and on again also known as rebooting. This applies to your Apple smartphone as well. If you are experiencing issues with your iPhone it is a good idea to try rebooting it.
Restarting your phone might fix the issue, for example when your iPhone freezes and goes unresponsive. The way to restart your iPhone depends on the model, so well go through the different ways you can try getting back to using your phone.
How To Enter Dfu Mode On iPhone 13 Mini iPhone 13 iPhone 13 Pro And iPhone 13 Pro Max
The forced restart procedure described above can help if an iPhone is freezing, throwing up errors, or has stopped responding completely. DFU mode on the other hand restores an iPhone if a restart or entering standard Recovery Mode doesn’t solve the problem you’re experiencing.
DFU mode lets the device interface with Finder or iTunes, update the firmware, and restore the OS without automatically installing the last downloaded version. It’s useful for installing older versions of iOS if a beta persistently hangs your phone, or if a jailbreak goes bad.
Before following the steps below, make sure you have the latest version of iTunes installed on your computer.
Repair Your iPhone With Apple
Apple repairs iPhones at the Genius Bar in Apple Stores and through their online mail-in repair service. Apple repairs are high-quality, but out-of-warranty repairs can be much more expensive than third-party solutions. If you’re looking to save some money you’re not covered by Apple’s warranty, you may want to check out our other recommendations.
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How To Factory Reset iPhone Using Itunes
Follow these steps below on how to reset your iPhone using iTunes:
- Connect your device to the computer you have synced with.
- After it has detected your device, choose the option Restore iPhone given on the screen.
- iTunes will confirm that if you want to restore as it will wipe everything. Click the Restore button and download the software to reset your device.
How To Restart iPhone

To restart all other iPhone models, follow these steps:
Press and hold the Sleep/Wake button. On older models, it’s on the top of the phone. On the iPhone 6 series and newer, it’s on the right side.
When the power off slider appears on the screen, release the Sleep/Wake button.
Move the power off slider from left to right. This prompts the iPhone to shut down. A spinner displays on the screen indicating the shutdown is in progress. It may be dim and hard to see.
When the phone shuts off, press and hold the Sleep/Wake button.
When the Apple logo appears on the screen, release the Sleep/Wake button and wait for the iPhone to finish restarting.
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How To Hard Reset An iPhone 11
The steps in this article were performed on an iPhone 11 in iOS 13.1.3. However, these steps will also work on other iPhone models using iOS 13 or iOS 14, such as an iPhone 8, iPhone X or an iPhone 11 Pro Max. You can also use these steps to factory reset an iPad using iOS 13.
Before you complete these steps, be very sure that you want to erase iPhone content and settings from the device. While you can restore iPhone data and settings from a backup in iCloud or through iTunes on your Mac or Windows PC, it can be a slow and tedious process. Or, if you dont have an iPhone backup anywhere, then you are just going to lose all of your data and settings by completing this factory reset.
Its always best to create a backup of your iPhone first, especially if you are performing this factory reset because you are troubleshooting an issue and will continue using the device for yourself. You can create an iTunes backup by going to Settings > choosing your Apple ID at the top > iCloud > iCloud Backup > Back Up Now.
iPhone 12 Button Basics
Apple changed many of the physical button functions on its smartphones with the launch of the iPhone 8 and iPhone X, so if you’re upgrading from a device that pre-dates these 2017 models, you’ll want to familiarize yourself with them.
Face the screen of your new iPhone and you’ll see that there are two volume buttons on the left-hand side, and a single Side button on the right-hand side. With no Home button to speak of, these three side buttons work in combination to undertake all of the necessary functions.
Other Useful Things to Know
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How Do I Repair My iPhone With Apple
How To Repair Your iPhone With Apple’s Mail-In Service
How To Repair Your iPhone At The Genius Bar Inside Your Local Apple Store
Applies To: iPhone 5,iPhone 5S,iPhone 5C,iPhone 6,iPhone 6 Plus,iPhone 6S,iPhone 6S Plus,iPhone SE,iPhone 7,iPhone 7 Plus,iPhone 8,iPhone 8 Plus,iPhone X,iPhone XS,iPhone XS Max,iPhone XR,iPhone 11,iPhone 11 Pro,iPhone 11 Pro Max,iPhone SE 2
How To Restart Your iPhone X 11 12 Or 13
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How To Get Into Recovery Mode On iPhone 11
If your iPhone gets messed up while updating to a new firmware, you need to get your iPhone 11 to recovery mode so that you can restore it to its previously backed up version that is stored on iTunes. Here are the steps on how to enter Recovery mode on iPhone 11.
- Connect your iPhone 11 to your computer with Lightning cable. Your computer should have the latest iTunes.
- After connecting iPhone 11 to your computer, launch iTunes on your computer.
- Hard reset your iPhone 11 by the steps mentioned in the previous section.
- Keep holding the Side button after your iPhone 11 restarts until you see the Recovery Mode screen. Once you see Connect to iTunes screen, you should release Side button.
- Select your iPhone on iTunes on your computer. Now, you should see your message that your iPhone is in Recovery Mode. Thereafter, you can restore your iPhone to its previous version.
If you want to exit recovery mode on iPhone 11, you have to press and hold Side button and wait till Connect to iTunes disappear on the screen. Now, your iPhone will reboot into iOS.
Put Your iPhone In Dfu Mode
A DFU restore is the last troubleshooting step you can take to rule out a software problem on your iPhone.
Watch our step-by-step DFU restore guide on YouTube, or follow the steps below:
Applies To: iPhone 5,iPhone 5S,iPhone 5C,iPhone 6,iPhone 6 Plus,iPhone 6S,iPhone 6S Plus,iPhone SE,iPhone 7,iPhone 7 Plus,iPhone 8,iPhone 8 Plus,iPhone X,iPhone XS,iPhone XS Max,iPhone XR,iPhone 11,iPhone 11 Pro,iPhone 11 Pro Max,iPhone SE 2
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If You Have An iPhone Se iPhone 8 Or Earlier
1. Press and hold the Power button.
2. When the slide to power off appears at the top of the screen, drag it to the right.
3. Wait for your iPhone to fully turn off and for the screen to go black.
4. Press the Power button until the Apple logo appears.
Quick tip: You can also restart any iPhone model by opening the Settings app, tapping General, and then selecting Shut Down.
How To Hard Reset Your iPhone 11

Applies To: iPhone 11
- You may need to hold the side button for 25â30 seconds.
- These steps also work for the iPhone 11 Pro and 11 Pro Max.
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And If A Hard Reset And Charging Didnt Work
If your iPhone 11, 11 Pro or 11 Pro Max is still under warranty or enrolled in AppleCare+, now would be the time to contact Apple Support or go to an Apple Store for help.
You can check to see if your iPhone 11 is still under warranty or enrolled in AppleCare+ at mysupport.apple.com.
If your iPhone is out of warranty, you might consider a third party repair service as a less expensive alternative to Apple itself.
Force Restart: How To Force A Restart On Your Apple iPhone
Say you have encountered an issue with your iPhone and just turning it off and on the regular way doesnt work. In that case, you need to do something thats called a forcedrestart or hardrestart.
The buttons to press in order to carry out a forced or hard restart depend on the model of your iPhone. Well go through the three different options next.
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How To Force Restart Your iPhone 11 iPhone 11 Pro Or iPhone 11 Pro Max
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The steps you need to take to force restart your iPhone 11, iPhone 11 Pro or iPhone 11 Pro Max are different if you’re used to an iPhone with a Home button. Here’s how to do it.
You could go through your entire use of an iPhone without ever having to restart it, but that’s unlikely. At some point you’re going to find that it’s going wrong and you need to power it down and start again. However, the way that you do this has changed over the years, and even now there are different ways.
This works with the new iPhone 11, iPhone 11 Pro, and iPhone 11 Pro Max. However, if you have any iPhone X-style model so any iPhone since the Home button was removed you can use the same technique. You could shut down by:
- Pressing and holding both the volume up and the Sleep/Wake button
- Swiping to chose Slide to Power Off when prompted
Having done that, you could then start the iPhone back up again by pressing and holding the Sleep/Wake button until you see the Apple logo.
This is Apple’s recommended method, and actually just about the only one it even describes. There is a brief line in the official support documents about how you can shut down an iPhone by going to Settings, General, and choosing Shut Down.
Do this carefully.
How To Enter Recovery Mode On iPhone 11 iPhone 11 Pro And iPhone 11 Pro Max
Entering recovery mode can help if you’re having trouble updating or restoring your iPhone over the air. For example, if the screen shows the Apple logo for several minutes but no progress bar appears, you can try putting the device in recovery mode and restoring it with iTunes. Here’s how it works.
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How To Enter Dfu Mode On iPhone 11 iPhone 11 Pro And iPhone 11 Pro Max
The forced restart procedure described above can help if an iPhone is freezing, throwing up errors, or has stopped responding completely. DFU mode on the other hand restores an iPhone if a restart or entering standard Recovery Mode doesn’t solve the problem you’re experiencing.
DFU mode lets the device interface with iTunes, update the firmware, and restore the OS without automatically installing the last downloaded version. It’s useful for installing older versions of iOS if a beta persistently hangs your phone, or if a jailbreak goes bad.
Before following the steps below, make sure you have the latest version of iTunes installed on your computer.
How To Disable Face Id On iPhone 13 Mini iPhone 13 iPhone 13 Pro And iPhone 13 Pro Max
Disabling Face ID on your iPhone makes it so your passcode has to be entered to unlock it. By disabling facial authentication, a police officer or malicious person can’t unlock your iPhone simply by holding it in front of your face.
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What Is A Forced Restart
A forced restart will force your iPhone to power off and restart without the typical shutdown process. Shutting down the usual way is important because it tidies things up before powering off your iPhone. But if your iPhone becomes unresponsive, sometimes youre forced to take a more drastic step by forcing a reboot.
Be advised that a forced reboot should only be used rarely. Using a hard reset regularly may cause problems with your iPhone. Your iPhone should be shut down gracefully unless its frozen or otherwise unresponsive.
How To Hard Reset Or Force Restart All iPhone 13 Models

Apple’s iPhone 13 mini, iPhone 13, iPhone 13 Pro, and iPhone 13 Pro Max come in the same sizes as last year’s iPhone 12 series, and they share the same design elements with Apple’s 2020 models, such as an all-screen design and no Home button on the front.
If you’re upgrading from a device with a Home button, keep reading to learn how to power on and off, force a restart, enter DFU mode, enter recovery mode, activate Emergency SOS, and temporarily disable Face ID. Below you’ll find step-by-step guides for performing the button combinations of all of the above functions, along with explanations of what the more obscure ones do and why they might one day come in useful.
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How To Restart iPhone X And Later
To restart an iPhone 13, iPhone 12, or iPhone 11/XS/XR/X, follow these steps:
Press and hold the Side buttonand Volume Down buttons at the same time. Volume up works, too, but using it can accidentally take a screenshot.
When the slideto power off slider appears, release the Side and Volume Down buttons.
Move the slider from left to right to shut down the phone.
A good time to clean your iPhone screen is while the device is shut down. This ensures you don’t accidentally press any options or accidentally change any settings.
Wait 15-30 seconds. When the iPhone is off, hold down the Side button again until the Apple logo appears. Let go of the Side button and let the phone start up.